Windshield wiper mechanism



Jan. 16, 1951 E. E. slvAcEK 2,538,432

WINDSHIELD WIPER MECHANISM Filed Sept. 13, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 L30 JNVENTOR. E 'E [7777/ Lyn reek Jan. 16, 1951 E. E. SIVACEK WINDSHIELD WIPER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. l3, 1947 Patented Jan. 16, 1951 Jimil "E. Sivacek, .Ann Arbor, Mich, assignor to King-'Seeley Corporation, Ann Arbor, Mini!" is corporation of lWichigan Application September 13, 'i 'lll'L-Sitlitilifdt). t l-3,81 2

Claims.

,The' present invention relates to windshield wiper mechanism .andparticularly relates to controls for such mechanism whereby the windshield wiper blades may be parked .in a predetermined position.

This application is an improvement on my copending application, Serial No. 768,985,, filed August 16, 19427,, ,l'or WindshieldfWiper Mechanism. I r

to One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improved meansffor parkinginechanioally driven windshield wiper blades.

Another object of ,the'invention is to provide such a means for paflcingthe 'lolades in 'a position which is beyond the normal oscillating range of i5 tially greater thickness than the other walls, and the wiper blade. .a top wall 24 having an upwardly extending boss Another object is to provide such a mechanism 26 The other or open wall of the casing 14 is which is easily and economically manufactured closed .by means of aeover :plate 28 held thereon which has a minimum of mechanical parts and as by screws 31!. The housing 1-4 is carried as which will provide long trouble free service. shown'by a member 3] which also carries the pit- Other objects of this invention will become ots 4. The upper end wall 24 is recessed oon-- apparent from the following specification, the centr'ically w the p y extending bOSS drawings relating thereto, and from the claims pr v nefl f r r 'ipr blym un ed hereinafter set forth. vertically extending shaft 31., the lower end of In the'drawings in which like numerals are .25 which extends through and is supported within used throughout to designate like parts in the a bearing aperture '36 in the lower d Wall 22. several views: The aperture 36 extends completely'through the Figure 1 is a partially diagrammatic view :s'howd Wall 22 and its W e d Portion is enlarged ing a windshield wiping mechanism embodying as at 3'8. 7 the invention; m A piston member 40 has a piston fit within the Fig 2 is an enlarged view in central vertical:-

section showing a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 1 in running position-r;

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially along the :line 33 of Fig. ,2 and looking in the direction of wipers and while it has particular utility when so-used, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in generic aspects it has other uses within the scope of the priesentinvention in which drawings are to 'be taken as illustrating rather than as limiting the invention which is tobe lirnited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1| designates generally :a pair of wiper blades carried by the usual arms 21in the usual pivots 4 adjacent the windshield of a motor vehicle or the like. The arm 2 and associated wiper blade 4 are rocked backwardly and forward-1y over the windshield surface by means of a ,pair of B ,pivotally secured as at =8 at one :end portion thereof to the arms 2, the other "end portions :of the links 6 are zsecured to opposite :crank throws in and ill of a crank arm 32 carried by a rotatable shaft it; A housing 44 substantially reotangular in shape has side walls [:6 and 48, \a rear wall .20, a bottom wall 22, which is of substanaperture portion 38 and forms the lower end section of "the .rod 34... The outward end of the aperture portion 38 is closed by means of a cap nut 42 having a central aperture therethrough which receives a conduit member 44 communicating with the interior of the aperture portion 38 between the cap nut 42 andthe piston member 40 into what be hereinafter referred to as the piston chamber 46. A helical coil spring d8 located within the piston chamber 45 has its lower end resting against the cap nut 42 and its upper end abutting against the piston member 40 whereby the piston member 40 is normally urged upwardly into engagement with a shoulder formed in the endw'all 22 at the intersection of the bearing apertureafi with the portion 38.

The shaft I3 is journal-ed for'rotation "in the shaft 34 and is arranged so that the longitudinal axis thereof extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 34. A worm gear 52 is suitably secured to the shaft 13 and is located intermediate the shaft '34 and the cover plate 28. A worm 54 is journaled for rotation in the walls 16 and i8 and when the shaft '34 is in its uppermost position its teeth are engageable with the teeth of the worm gear 52 whereby rotation of the form 54 is operable to rotate the stub shaft I3 and the crank throws I and II whereby the links 6 reciprocate the wiper blades I along the surface of the windshield. Power for rotating the worm 54 is obtained from any suitable source of rotating energy, as for example, a rotating part of the motor vehicle engine with which the wiper blades I are associated and may be of the type which is driven through a governor mechanism substantially as shown, described and claimed in mysaid copending appli cation whereby the clutch element 51 will be driven at substantially constant speed irrespective of the speed of the vehicle engine. A longitudinally movable core 59 of a flexible drive cable 6I carries at one end'a'secondclutch element 63 cooperable with the element 51 and is suitably secured at the other endto the worm 54. A clutch spring 65 located concentrically with the core 59 acts to urge the element 63 into driving relation with the element 51.

The shaft 34 and piston are normally maintained in their upper position and are resiliently 'held against downward movement by the spring 48. 'A cam wheel 55 which is carried by and rotatable with the shaft I3 has a substantially aircular cam surface which rides for the most part against a rotatable follower member 55 carried by 'the wall of the casing I4 intermediate the shaft 34 and wall 26. The cam wheel 55 has a cut-awayportion 58 which, once each revolution of the shaft I3, aligns with the cam follower 56,

wherebythe shaft34 and its associated shaft 13 may move downwardly to disengage the worm wheel 52 from the worm54 when the piston 4!! is in its lowered position. This downward movement of the piston 40 is provided by providing a subatmospheric pressure within the piston chamber '46, as will be described below.

The wall I6 is apertured to provide an outwardly opening piston chamber. 60 which receives a piston 62 normally urged inwardly by a helical coil spring 64 which seats at one end against the piston 62 and at the other end against a cap nut 66 which closes the open end of the chamber 68. The piston 62 carries a catch 68 which projects into the interior of the housing I4 and normally abutsthe adjacent surface of the shaft 34. When, however, the shaft 34 is in its lowered position, the catch 68 moves into a shouldered slot ID of the shaft 34 and holds the shaft in its lowered position against upward movement by the piston 46 upon the returnof atmospheric pressure to the chamber 46. A conduit 52 extends centrally through the nut 66 and is in open communication with the chamber 66. When it .is desired to permit the shaft 34 to move upwardly whereby the worm wheel 52 may be rotated again by the worm 54, subatmospheric pressure is applied to the piston chamber 66 through the conduit 12 as will be described be- .low. This subatmospheric pressure will cause the piston 62 to move outwardly against the force of the spring 64 whereby the catch ,68 is moved out of holding relation with the slot '16. At the same time, atmospheric pressure is applied to the chamber 46 whereby the spring, 43

Control of the pressure within the piston chambers 46 and 60 is accomplished by means of a hand-actuated valve I6 having a series of ports 4 I8, and 82. The port 80 is connected by means of conduit 84 to the intake manifold 86 of the motor vehicle engine with which the windshield wiping mechanism is associated whereby subatmospheric pressure will be maintained at the port 88 during normal engine operation. With the control knob 88 of the valve 2'6 set in parked position, as shown, this subatmospheric pressure will be transmitted from the port 88 to the port I8, and therefrom through the conduit 44 which is in open communication with the port I8 to the chamber 46. The port 82 is connected by means of the conduit I2 to the pressure chamber 68, the port 82 being in communication with atmospheric pressure through port 90.

Assuming that thecontrol knob 88 of the valve I6 has just been moved into the shown position and that the engine is operating and rotating the worm 54, the piston! will be in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the catch 68 in engagement with the adjacent surface'of the shaft 34. As the worm 54 rotates the worm wheel '52 and the wiper blades I, the circular surface of the cam wheel 55 rotates against the follower member 56 whereby the shaft 34 is held in its upper position until such time as the cut-away portion 58 thereof aligns itself with the follower member 56. At this time, the shaft 34 will move downwardly under control of its piston 62 so that the cutaway portion 58 encompasses the follower member 56, which movement locks the cam member 55 against rotation with the shaft I3 in a position to hold the wiper blades I at one limit of their stroke. As the shaft 34 moves downwardly, the shaft I3 moves along with it as does also the crank I2. This downward movement of the crank I2 increases the distance between the crank throws Ill and II and the one of the pivot points 8 with which their connected links are associated. Since the links 6 are of constant length, the blades I will be rotated into a parked position. The limit of this movement is when the pivot points 8 are in a substantially straight line position with respect to the crank throws, the pivot points 8 and the pivots 4.

A dog 92 is located on the shaft 34 in overlying relation to the worm 5.4 and at such a distance above the worm 54 that upon downward move- 34 is latched in its lowered position with the worm Wheel 52 disengaged from the worm 54 and in their parked position. Should now the engine 86 be stopped so that the source of subatmospheric pressure is removed and atmospheric pressure again applied to the piston chamber 46, the spring 48 is ineffective to move the shaft 34 toward its upwardposition because of the latching effect of the catch 68 in the slot I0.

The worm 54 is driven in a clockwise direction when viewed in Fig. 4 so that as the dog 92 engages in a tooth space on the worm 54 the worm will be cammed to the left from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 5, so that the core 59 of the flexible drive cable 6| will be moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, to disengage the emanate z fiziifmm'theielementifisl. maths-element $3 disengaged zit-rem the element fi l, :the more fifl amdmhe e54 zwil-l iceasemotation 'E'herewhen ithe zengine 6 :subsequently 581221 1326 :element 5:1 :is regain rotated, v:Yit zremains finefiectisve ,to :drive the core =59, iworm :54. -52 zwill'be :held by the slot i8 and the ioiades 1 "Will :zremain in 7a parked position. a

Whenziit is desired touagainiusethe wiperblades, thereunder-knob :88 rotated ii a counterclockmisc direction, as viewed-sin fig. 1, whereby, the *and "(B2 ;are brought into communication and *the gpont 19,4 of the "valve 15 is hmug'ht vinto communication with thegpmtt 518. With me watve El-B inthis gPOSitlOIl, rsubatmospheric pressure is provided from the engine manifold Stem-tough ii'zhetcenduit 184 the ;port -36, :the giant 4 .82, 513113 0011- :duit 3 2 no zthe niston chamber 36.!) whereby the flowered ;pr.ess.ure in the chamber :61] causes :the iston 252 wtomrove -.outwaatdly against ethee foree :of ithezspring 154 so \that the catch -58 moved out iladldmg-engagement with the :sl'ot iii). At :the :same time, atmospheric pressure is admitted ithrough ithe ports :94 and 18 and the izconduit the the gpressure chamber ,46 whereby the spring 48 isQperabIe itozmove the; piston .41% .and theishait ikupwardly. As theshait 3'4 imoves, itheedogfil dszmoved out of -s-cammingengagement with t the storm '54 allowing the worm 54,-core .59 Landele- LS3 fto z-move under the .iorce of thespring 585 'rthe i le-ft e-inom the gpositien shown in Big. $110 the position shown :in .Ei-g. :2 whereby ,the elennent i5J-iis efiective "to drive the worm 54.

'Ihe idog 19.2 is posit-ioned on the shaft :34 to-dis- 1 aengage 1mm the worm 5t! sufiiciently ahead .iof n'e-engagementvof the worm wheel 52 with the zsvnrmij -.to permit the spring .65 ,to move the elet-mentififintoallightiengagementawith theelement =5] at which time the Worm 553 will be substanitiajllyFin 'the position shown inlFig. At substantially .the time Ithespring .65 "brings the .element-63mm a "firm enough engagement viithlahe element '51 "to cause rotation of the core *5!) :and worm 5'4, the worm-wheel 52 'isengaged with'the 1Worm2541so :that the engaging teeth will .mes'h smoothly. Exilosegueritlmthe spring 65 willcause the element 63 to tightly engage the elements! ier-driving worm'id, wormwheel'52 and shaft .13 *101" "reciprocating-the blades 'l. e

*Itwill now 'be obvious that there is disclosed a mechanism "whereby windshield wiper Blades I 'may ibe driven 'from a rotatable source of power such "as the "engine or an *automotive vehicle "and "wher'by by themere operation o'ira simple control mechanism the -"blades "may be =made "to ep- :eiate "for olea-ning the vehicle windshield *or' may easily be *parked in a predetermined desired parked rp'osition. The blades WiILr-emain *in this 'znredetenmined desired parked *po tion {T651368- is maimed .vdesired ito secured a .iStates Letters liqatent ris inflows:

B1. a windshield wiping "meehanism, a lever zpivnted tier oscillatory movement about a 351M013 and adapted tto carry :a windshield --wiper blade; :a :rcrank .arm, ..'a fixed-length link connectingisaidarm tosaid lever, ashaft afor rotatingssaid aiior rotating zpesitimi, aid mutating means Izbeiqng nieiieetine :to

in etate'ssaxdshaftawhenisaidashaftiisxm'saidsseeonii 5 i I :pos'ition, releasaiile aneans :ffor :saifi in said second :position, sand zfm said shaft imam saidrseeonid rto FSHlfiPfiIiSUHQSifi'OD. V I 2. In :a -w'indshield'cwiping mechanisms deem pivoted for -=osillatory movement about :a :p'ivot sand adapted ito i-carry :a windshield "made, a crank arm :a fixed-length llirik connecti-ng said to ssaidllever, .a shaft for motating said arm and having"a first anii:asecondmosition, 10 :means ior '-rcitating:said sh'aft when in said #first tp'esi tien, #sa-id :rotaiting meansrbeing ine'fi'ective 370 rotate said shaft when said-shaftis'inisaidisecond :pos'ition', releasable vmeans for holding :saifchshaft :said second :position, :means for moving said sshait tromrsaidsseeond to said "first vpositionnemd means mperalole to prevent movement of said 'shaftifromssaid l'irst tosaidsecondipositioniexcept at one =rofta tiize position of :said :shaft.

:3. In a windshield wiping nnechanism, ?a. devser pivoted for ms'illaitory movemen't about -'a ifixed pivot and @adapted' to ca'rry a windshield Wiper b lade. a crank arm, a "fixed-lengthflink :cormecting =said arm ito said lever, a "shaft ior rotating said am, and having a. "first sand =a second "position, means -=fo=r rotating said shaft when iin :sa'id first position, said rotating :means being iineifeesaid second =positien, and oo operating :stops 5015)- er'able to apreverit rnovement of said *sha'iit "from said first to said second :position except zone rotative position of said shaft.

In a windshield wiping a -apair ".OT :levers, each or .said ievers *ioing fior fir oscillatory -m-ovemerit shout a fixed sand adapted to 'cartya windshield wiper blade, a pair o'f 'crank'armsdocated betweensaidqjivots,afixedlength link connecting respective ones of arms to respective "ones of said levers, "a shaft 40 for :rotating :said arm-s "and having aiirst ea second position, means "for rotating said shaft when .in said first position, said rotating means ibeing "inefiective "to rotate "said shaft said shaft in said second position, and eta-operat- 3 .ing "stops 'operaiol'e to prevent "movement of said shaft "from said firstto said second position ex- :cept .vvhensaid lever is at one limit for :its osci1 llatory movement.

'5. The combination of Claim 4 in which said 5 positions lie in a ,plane extending normally to the line :o'f centers of said pivots and substanstiallymidway therebetween.

;6. :Ina windshield JnechanLism,.a honsing, a first aelement adapted -.to be drivenifrom ;a :snuree of rotating mower, a member journaledin said housing and bodily .mnvable :betvzeen za first and 4a 'gposition, :a rotatable shaft married iiiyzsaid' member, a second element Vcarried by said rotatable shaft andxoperaldleitoiibe'atotatedibwsaid first eiemem, trmeazns mormally maintaining said 'mem'oer in first position whereby said first -1emeri t' 'is efiiective 'to drive said second element,

means -for "moving said :member to said second 5 positionrvvherby :said -fi -ifst element "is ineffective ito dfiite saidsecond and co-operating stops tier preventing said member from "moving .irito' said second "position except at Ya predetern'in'ed rotative. position of said "shaft.

'11. The combination :of .eiaim 6 in which :said eoaqpemmg stQPs include a pair v.o'f 40am memiibers.

48, tof iclaim -56 :in icoeeperatingestons.incladezaipfiireeimamnnenihers fiozand nine 0i said anem'bersfis 7 ried by said'shaft and the other of said cam imembers is carried by said housing.

9. The combination of claim 6 in which said co-operating stops include a pair of cam members one of which is carried by said shaft and the other of which is carried by said housing, and in which said one cam member comprises .a rotatable disc-having a slot and said other cam member is movable into said slot.

10. The combination of claim 6 in which means is provided for releasably holding'said member in said second position. 11. In a windshield wiping mechanism, a housing, a worm journaled in said housing and adapted to be driven from a source of rotating power, a member carried-by saidhousing and bodily movable between a first and a second position, a rotatable shaft carried by said member, -a worm gear carried by said rotatable shaft,

means normally maintaining said member in said first position in which said worm gear is en- 1 gaged with said worm whereby said worm gear 'is' driven from said source of rotating power, means for moving saidmember to said second position whereby said worm gear-is disengaged from said worm, and means for releasably holding said member in said first position.

12. The combination of claim 11 in which said last-named means is effective to release said member solely at one rotative position of said rotatable shaft. f a

13. The combination of claim 11 in which said last named means is effective to release said member solely at one rotative position of said rotatable shaft and in which means isprovided for re- ,leasably holding said member in said second position. I

14. The combination of claim 11 in which said last named means is effective to release said member solely at one rotative position of said rotatable shaft and in which means is provided for releas- 4 ably holding said member in said second position and in which means is also provided for substan- -tially, concurrently releasing said last-named releasable holding means and moving said member to said first position.

15. The combination of claim 11 in which said releasable holding means comprises a pair of cam members.

v 16. The combination of claim 15 in which one of said cam members is a circular membercarried by said shaft with a peripheralaperture and the other of said cam members is a fixedly positioned member normally engageable with the peripheral surface of said circular member for maintaining said bodily movable member in said first position but receivable in said aperture for permitting movement of said "bodily movable member to said second position.

1'7. In a windshield wiping mechanism, a hous- 'ing,a worm journaled in said housing for rotational and longitudinal movement, clutch means cooperable with said worm and adapted to couple said Worm to a source of rotating power when said worm is in one longitudinal position and adapted to uncouple said worm from the source when said worm is in a secondlongitudinal position, a member carried by said housing'and bodily movable between a first and a second position, a rotatable shaft carried by said member, a

'worm gear carried by said rotatable shaft, said member when in said first position being operable 'to -place said worm gear in engagement with-said said worm 'geanout of engagement with said 8 worm, means operable to move said member into said member second position wherebysaid worm gear is disengaged from said worm, and a dog carried by said member and engageable with the teeth of said worm upon movement of said member to said member second position whereby the rotational movement of said worm will move said wormfrom its said one to its said second position.

18. The combination of claim 17 in which means is provided for moving said member from its said first position to its said second position,

and said dog is so positioned on said member that it is disengaged from said worm prior to engagement of said worm wheel with said worm upon movement of said member toward its said first position. j

19; In a windshield wiping mechanism, a lever pivoted for oscillatory movement about a'fixed pivot and adapted to carry a windshield fwip'er blade, a crank arm, a fixed-length link connect- "ing said arm to said lever, a shaft for rotating forfdriving t-h'e'worm, said means for rendering said means for rotating said shaft ineffective to rotate said shaft including means movable with said shaft when the latter is moved from said first position to said second position to engage said worm whereby continued rotationof-said worm causes said worm to move longitudinally, means responsive to such longitudinal movement of said worm for disengaging said clutch, releasable means for holding said shaft in said second position, and means for moving said shaft from said second to said first position.

20. A power transmitting means comprising a drivenrshaft, ,a worm gear operatively connected to said shaft, a worm adapted to drive said gear and mounted for rotary and longitudinal movemen-twith said worm whereby-continuedrotation of said worm after engagement with said last named means causes said worm to move longitudinally, and means responsive to said longi tudinal movement of said worm for disengaging said clutch.

, "21. A power transmitting means comprising. a

driven shaft, a worm gear operatively connected to; said shaft, a worm-adapted to drive said gear and mounted for rotaryand 'longiti'idinal'movement, means for supporting said gear in meshing relation with said WOIIl'l, means, includinga clutch, for driving said worm, means yieldably holding said clutch engaged, means for rendering said means for driving said "worm ineffectiveto rotate the latter, said last named means: ineluding movable into engagement with said worm -whereby continued rotation of said wormafter suchengagementis effective to movesaid worm longitudinally, and means responsive to said longitudinal movement of said worm for disengaging said clutch.

22. A power transmission mechanism comprising a housing, a worm journaled in said housing for rotational and longitudinal movement, clutch means cooperable with said worm and adapted to couple said worm to a source of rotating ower' when said Worm is in one longitudinal position and adapted to uncouple said worm from the source when said worm is in a second longitudinal position, a worm gear adapted to be driven by said worm, a member carried by said housing and power, a member carried by said housing and bodily movable between a first and a second position, a rotatable shaft carried by said member, a

worm gear carried by said rotatable shaft, means normally maintaining said member in said first position in which said worm gear is engaged with I said worm whereby said worm gear is driven from 24. In a windshield wiping mechanism, a hous- 25 ing, a worm journaled in said housing and adapted to be driven from a source of rotating said source of rotating power, means for moving said member to said second position whereby said worm gear is disengaged from said worm, and means for releasably holding said member in said second position.

EMIL E. ISIVACEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record-in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,906,047 Crutchfield et al. Apr. 25, 1933 2,079,573 Lauer May 4, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country, Date 461,255 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1937 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,538,432 January 16, 1951 EMIL E. SIVACEK It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correet1on as follows:

Column 3, line 2, for the word form read worm; column 8, line 73, before movable insert means;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of March, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gammissz'oner of Patents. 

